Ceiling and wall jack



CEILING AND WALL JACK Filed Nov. 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 INVENTORSfl. Ffiaker BY RU) Goodh as 1943- A. F. BAKER ETAL 7,

CEILING AND WALL JACK Filed Nov. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HJLBaker ELUGoodhue Dec. 28, 1943. A. F. BAKER ETAL CEILING AND WALL JACK3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 22, 1941 R v m m s w v R rh 5 wm W I m m a oT B A mw Q AR 3 Y R B Q HUM H: Q mm m y w ww U m mw mN Patented Dec. 28,1943 CEILING AND WALL JACK Albert F. Baker and Ralph W. Goodliue, Santa-Rosa, Baker Callf.; said Goodliue assignor to said Application November22, 1941, Serial No. 420,070

14 Claims.

This invention relates in general to building construction equipment,and in particular the invention is directed to, and it is our principalobject to provide, a jack mechanism arranged to support, elevate andmaintain in position for securing to a ceiling or wall, a sheet of wallboard or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall board jackmechanism which is arranged.

for adjustment to support different size sheets of the material, and atan angle corresponding to the angle of the surface to which the sheet isto be applied. A further object of the invention is to provide novelmeans to effect and control the elevation and lowering of the sheetsupporting head assembly of the jack mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a floor brake on thebase of the deviceysuch brake being automatically operative when thesheet supporting head assembly is in lowered position for loading, orthe brake may be manually applied at any time.

A further object of the'lnvention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice, and yet one 4 and guided for vertical movement by means of guidebrackets 5 secured on and depending from the base I. The bar 3 carrieslongitudinally spaced downwardly projecting floor-engaging shoes 6,points or the like, which, when engaged with the floor, frictionallygrip the latter, preventing relative movement of the base I, The bar 3may be lowered so as to bring the shoe 6 into floor-engaging position bymeans of a hand lever 'l pivoted on the base for swinging movement in a,vertical plane above but parallel to bar 3, and having an eccentric orcam element 8 on its lower end and engaging said bar, so that the latteris lowered and the brake applied by a pull on the lever. The brake willremain applied if the lever is lowered beyond dead center position 1 ofthe cam, Also, in the manner which will be which will be exceedinglyeffective for the purpose elevated position.

Figure 2 is an end view of the device in an elevated position and withthe head assembly angularly adjusted.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the head assembly as partly extended.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. v

Figure 5 is a. cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of connectionbetween the head assembly and vertical lift post.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, our improved jack mechanism comprises a rectangular elongatedbase I supported adjacent the comers by means of caster wheels 2. Thisbase is provided with a normally inoperative floor brake which comprisesa centrally and longitudinally extending bar 3 suspended at its ends bytension springs hereinafter described, the floor brake is automaticallyapplied when the sheet-supporting head assembly i in lowered position.

A pair of rigid uprights 9 are mounted on base I in transversely spacedrelation, such uprights being seated at their lower ends in a socketunit on base I centrally between its ends; these uprights beingstabilized by adjustable and diagonal tie-rods II which extend from theuprights above the socket downwardly to hooked connection with eyes 12on the base. If desired, the uprights 9 may be removable from the socketunit l0 whereby with release Of tie rods H from eyes l2 the uprights,together with connected portions of the mechanism, may be removed fromthe base for transportation from job to job. The uprights 9 areconnected together on opposite sides by means of vertically spaced crossplates l3.

A lift post I4 is disposed between uprights 9 and projects some distancethereabove, such lift post being rectangular and elongated in crosssection and the opposite edges being fitted with outwardly facing guidechannels l5 which engage track or rail portions it formed on adjacentfaces of uprights 9.

At its upper end the lift post It is fitted with the supporting headassembly for the sheet of wallboard or the like, said head assemblycomprising a main head frame of rectangular configuration and whichincludes side rails I1 and connecting end rails l8. This main head frameis supported on the lift post M by means of longitudinally spaced crossmembers l9 between which the upper end of the lift post snugly engagesand to which said upper end of the lift post is pivoted by means of anadjustable pivot and tension bolt 20. It will be seen that by virtue ofthe above connection between the main head frame and the lift post, saidframe may be tilted laterallyin either direction, and as is clearlyshown in Fig. 2. If it is desired to also provide for longitudinaltilting of the main head frame, the longitudinally spaced cross membersis are not rigidly connected with the side rails l1 and cooperatingfriction disc units 2|, with connecting pivot bolts, are ,interposedbetween the ends of said cross members I! and the side rails II, asshown in Fig. 6.

In order to provide longitudinaladiustment of the head assembly the mainhead frame is provided at.both ends with auxiliary or extension frameswhich include side members 22 having a mortise and tenon slide fit withthe side rails I'I, said side members being connected underneath by endmembers 23 beyond the ends of the main head frame. It will be seen thatwith longitudinal and outward sliding movement of the extension framesthe effective length of thehead assembly is materially increased.

In order to accommodate sheets of material of relatively great width,the extension frames on one side are fitted on opposite sides withhinged swing arms 24 which normally lie within said frames but which maybe swung up and out at right angles thereto, so that their upper surfaceis flush with the upper edge of the frames. The outer endof each arm hasan upstanding shoulder 25 or the like to form a stop for the adjacentedge of the supported sheet.

The following mechanism is employed for the purpose of effecting andcontrolling the raising and lowering of the lift post H. Cushion rollers26 frictionally engage the post I on opposite sides and for the fullwidth-thereof at a point some distance below the upper end of uprights9, such cushion rollers 28 being supported by shafts 21 whose endsproject through and beyond supporting plates 28 mounted on the uprights.

As clearly indicated in Fig. 5, the shafts 21 are carried inhorizontally movable blocks in the plates 28, whose position is adjustedby countersunk set screws in the plate. In this manner, the friction ofthe rollers 26 against the post may be adjusted as maybe necessary,while wear may be readily taken up as it occurs. Also, the post may thusbe centered in the guides for proper cooperation therewith; At one endthe shafts 21 are connected by meshing gears 29 suitably housed as at30, while at the other end the projecting portion of the shafts, arerectangular. as indicated at 3|, for the selective reception of aratchet wrench 32. It will be seen that with the reciprocation of wrench32, when the same is cor- .rectly applied to one of the shaft portions,3|,

the rollers 26 will be rotated in a direction to elevate the lift postll.

In order to lock such lift post in elevated posi-v tion, we provide acam brake 33 which extends of this handle the cam brake 33 is relievedfrom the post ll, permitting the latter to lower by gravity. In order toassure against too rapid a descent of lift post ll, a brake shoe 38,integral with arms 34, is mounted on cross shaft 36 and is normallyclear of the adjacent cushionroller I 28. However, upon downwardmovement of handle 31 to a predetermined extent beyond the. point ofrelease of cam brake 3, shoe 38 frictionally engages-said adjacentroller 26 and the braking action thus applied to such roller istransmitted to the lift post.

When the lift post reaches its lowermost point,

the lower end of said post engages bar 3 of the floor brake, pushingsaid bar down until the shoes 8 strike and frictionally engage thefloor, thereby eifectively preventing shifting movement of %he base-lwhile the head assembly is being loaded,

In use, a sheet of wallboard or the like is placed in supported relationonthe head assembly; such assembly being adjusted by means of theextension frames or the hinged swing arms 24, or both, in order toprovide relatively full support for said sheet. The stops 25 in thehinged swing arms engage the side edges of the sheet of wallboard whenthe head assembly is tilted laterally, as shown in Fig. 2, and preventsaid sheet from sliding off its support.

After the sheet of material is placed atop the head assembly, theratchet wrench 32 is actuated, causing lift post M to elevate to a pointwhere the supported sheet of material engages the surface to which it isto be applied, and which may be a horizontal ceiling area or anangularly disposed area to conform to which the head assembly may beadjusted. When the sheet of material is thus disposed in place, the cambrake 33 prevents retraction of the lift post and the sheet of materialmay be secured to the engaged building surface. Thereafter, bymanipulation of handle 31 the lift post is permitted to slide down, thedevice is moved to the next point of use, and another sheet of materialplaced on the head assembly, whereupon the method above described isrepeated.

In order to prevent possible tilting of the head frame from any setposition while it is being loaded, and at which time said frame is aptto be subjected to considerable jarring shocks, a telescopic holdingunit 39 extends between the base and head frame on the side oppositethat toward post I by its own weight, aided by acoil spring which theframe is tilted. This unit is pivotally mounted at its opposite ends bypins 40, which may be removed, so that the unit may be detached from theapparatus if its use is not required.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen thatwe haveproduced such a device as sub-- stantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A jack-for sheet building material, comprising a base, a lift postupstanding from the base, means mounting the post for vertical movement,releasable means operating to hold the post in an elevated position, abrake arranged to control the speed of lowering movement of said post,

said brake being operative only upon release of said holding means, anda sheet supporting head assembly mounted'on the upper end of the post.

2. A structure as in claim 1 in which said releasable holding meanscomprises a cam brake unit normally engaged with said post, there beinga handle projecting from said unit, the handle being movable to releasethe cam from the post.

3. A jack for sheet building material comprising a base, spaced uprightsmounted on the base, a lift post mounted between said uprights forguided vertical movement, a friction roller engaging one side of thepost, manually actuated means to rotate the roller in a direction toelevate the post, releasable means to hold the post in elevatedposition, a normally inoperative manually actuated friction brakemounted for engagement with said roller, and a sheet supporting headassembly mounted on the upper end of the post.

4. A structure as in claim 3 in which said releasable means includes ahandle; said handle being arranged, upon moving in a predetermineddirection, to release said means and with continued movement to applysaid brake.

5. A jack for sheet building material comprising a base, spaced uprightsmounted on the base, a lift post mounted between said uprights forguided vertical movement, friction rollers engagfriction brake membermounted in rigid relation to and for movement with said cam brake, saidfriction brake normally being adjacent but clear of said one roller butarranged to engage the latter in, braking relation upon movement of thecam brake from the post apredetermined distance, and a sheet supportinghead assembly mounted on the upper end of the post.

6. A jack for sheet building material, including a lift post, meansmounting said post for vertical movement, a sheet supporting head frame,said head frame including spaced side members, adjacent but spaced crossmembers connecting said side members intermediate the ends of thelatter, the upper end of said post snugly engaging between said crossmembers, and a pivot bolt connecting said upper end of the post and saidcross members; there being friction disc units pivotally connectedbetween corresponding ends of said cross members and the adjacent one ofsaid side members.

7. A jack for sheet building material including a lift post, meansmounting said post for vertical movement, and a sheet supporting headassembly mounted on the upper end of said post; said assembly comprisingan elongated main head frame of rectangular form, and extension framesmounted on the main head frame at the end portions for outward slidingmovement in oppo- 'site directi0ns,*the upper edges of .the main andextension frames being substantially flush; there being sheet supportingarms hinged to the sides of said extension frames for outward swingingmovement in a vertical plane from a normal po- 9. A jack for sheetbuilding material, comprising a wheel supported base, a lift postmounted on said base for vertical movement relative thereto, a sheetsupporting head assembly mounted on the upper end of the post, and anormally inoperative floor brake unit mounted on the base;

the post upon lowering of the same to a down position being arranged toapply said floor brake unit.

10. A jack for sheet building material, comprising a, wheel supportedbase, a lift post mounted on said base for vertical movement relativethereto, a sheet supporting head assembly mount ed on the upper end ofthe post, and a normally inoperative floor brake unit mounted beneaththe base, said unit including a depressible bar, springs resistingdepression of the bar and floor engaging brake elements on the bar; thelower end of the post when in down position engaging and depressing thebar and setting the brake elements.

11. A jack for sheet building material comprising a base, a lift postupstanding from the base, means mounting the post for vertical movement,a sheet supporting head frame, means mounting said head frame on theupper end of the post for tilting adjustment in a vertical plane, and alongitudinally adjustable holding unit connected between the base andhead to one side of the post.

12. A jack for sheet building material comprising a base, a lift postupstanding from the base, means mounting the post for vertical movement,a sheet supporting head frame, means mounting said head frame on theupper end of the post for tilting adjustment in a vertical plane, and alongitudinally adjustable holding unit connected between the base andhead to one side of the post,

said holding unit being telescopic and including means normallypreventing telescopic adjustment thereof 13. A jack for sheet buildingmaterial, including a lift post, means mounting the post for verticalmovement, a sheet supporting head frame, said frame including a crossmember, means pivoting said cross member intermediate its ends inconnection with the upper end portion of the lift post for tiltingmovement in a vertical plane, and other means'pivotally connecting saidcross member at its ends in connection with the remainder of the headframe for tilting movement of the latter in a vertical'plane. at a rightangle to said first named plane.

'14. A jack for sheet building material, including-a lift post, meansmounting the post for ver- .tical movement, a sheet supporting 'headframe,

said frame including a cross member, means pivoting said cross memberintermediate its ends in connection with the upper end portion of thelift post for tilting movement in a vertical plane, and othermeanspivotally connecting said crossmemher at its ends in connection with theremainder 7, :01 the head frame for tilting movement of the latter in avertical plane ata right .angle to said -first named plane, said othermeans comprising friction disc units.

' ALBERT F. BAKER.

RALPH W. GOODHUE.

